German authorities are actively searching for a suspect connected to a deadly vehicle attack near the Berlin Pride event, Christopher Street Day (CSD), on the evening of July 25. The incident resulted in the death of one woman and injuries to 16 others, including three with life-threatening wounds.
According to police reports, a white Citroen minivan drove into a crowd on the southern edge of Tiergarten park, close to the end of the CSD parade route and near the Brandenburg Gate, a central Berlin landmark. The vehicle then crashed into a tree, where it remained visibly damaged the following morning. Witnesses and officials indicated that one or more individuals exited the vehicle and fled the scene. Authorities noted that several victims also sustained stab wounds during the incident.
The main suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Abdul B. German media have reported that Abdul B. is a supporter of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS) and has a prior conviction in Germany for preparing a serious act of subversive violence. Authorities say that in 2025 he attempted unsuccessfully to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS. Police described him as a slender man approximately 1.9 meters tall, with black hair, last seen wearing a black hoodie and white trousers. Officials have indicated there may be additional suspects and are conducting searches, including at train stations in Berlin, as part of their ongoing investigation.
Berlin's political leadership swiftly condemned the attack. Mayor Kai Wegner described it as a "brutal attack" on a gathering symbolizing tolerance and peace. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said they were closely monitoring the investigation and pledged to apprehend those responsible. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed being "shaken and outraged," while the German Bundestag lowered its flag to half-mast in response. International figures, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and governments from several European countries, issued statements expressing sympathy and condemnation.
The queer community in Berlin responded with calls for solidarity, organizing a vigil at the Brandenburg Gate to honor the victims. Armin Duenhoelter, a drag performer present at the event, conveyed his shock but affirmed the community’s resilience and intent to return for next year’s CSD despite lingering unease.
The attack has reignited fears within Germany concerning Islamist-inspired violence, recalling similar atrocities in recent years. Notably, the 2016 Berlin Christmas market truck attack killed 13 people, and in 2024, a car-ramming attack in Magdeburg claimed six lives and injured over 300. These events have intensified debates over immigration and national security. Far-right lawmaker Martin Hess of the Alternative for Germany party attributed the attack to failures in government security policy and labeled Islamism the country’s greatest security threat.
Police continue to seek public assistance in locating Abdul B. and encourage anyone with information to come forward as investigations proceed.